The Vatican Information Service is a news service, founded in the Holy See Press Office, that provides information about the Magisterium and the pastoral activities of the Holy Father and the Roman Curia...[+]

Last 5 news

Friday, January 18, 2013

Vatican
City, 18 January 2013
(VIS) – Today, the French and German Bishops' Conferences
published a joint declaration marking the 50th anniversary of the
Elysee Treaty, signed on 22 January 1963 by General Charles de Gaulle
and Chancellor Konrad Adenauer to seal the reconciliation between the
two opposing nations after the Second World War. On 8 July 1962, both
heads of state attended a Mass of reconciliation in the French
cathedral of Rheims.

The
declaration stressed the friendship between the two peoples and,
reflecting on the peace gained at such a high price, extended a call
for understanding in facing Europe's present and future.

"Simultaneously,
the Elysee Treaty," the text reads, "was the height of the
reconciliation between the two enemy nations and the starting point
for the deepening of friendly relations through political and social
contact at all levels. As bishops, we warmly embrace everything
gained in the signing of the 'Treaty of Friendship'. Today,
Franco-German friendship seems obvious and neither politicians nor
citizens have a feeling for the exceptional nature of these
relations. And yet, the friendship between our two countries and
peoples is now more important than ever for overcoming the current
crisis and for shaping the future of Europe. …"

"The
crisis has revealed irresponsible behaviour in various areas and has
sorely tested the solidarity between the European countries.
Solidarity and responsibility must be more closely connected to the
future of Europe. In this regard, the Franco-German reconciliation
remains an example of political responsibility and solidarity."

At
the Mass of reconciliation in the cathedral of Rheims, Konrad
Adenauer and Charles de Gaulle "symbolized the awareness that
politics is built upon foundations that it cannot build itself. Love
for one's enemies is a strong Gospel demand that the two statesmen
were capable of carrying out. Since then, the European Union has
brought peace and prosperity to its countries. With the economic
crisis, however, we see that contempt and mistrust between the
European nations are reappearing: the rejection of foreigners, the
absence of solidarity. The global economy and the cultural and
religious mixture have given rise to other enemies. All over Europe,
populist movements advocating withdrawal into self interests are
flourishing. The economic crisis reveals a moral crisis, where the
meaning of life no longer forms part of relationship with others or
the demands of justice."

France
and Germany "can and must return to the history of their
reconciliation and friendship in order to face the consequences of
our current problems. We can also draw inspiration from the past in
order to help the European Union establish long-term, solid political
structures and an authentic social market economy. We must act to
ensure that the respect for human dignity, the common good, and the
principles of solidarity and subsidiarity always guide European
integration."

The
Church also celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Elysee Treaty as
"an opportunity to recall, particularly for the youngest
generations, that reconciliation is not an empty word but an actual
path."

Vatican
City, 18 January 2013
(VIS) – Today the Holy Father received in separate audiences:

Bishop
Gerhard Ludwig Muller, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine
of the Faith, and

six
prelates from the Basilicata region of the Italian Episcopal
Conference on their "ad limina" visit:

-
Archbishop Agostino Superbo of Potenza-Muro Lucano-Marsico Nuovo,

-
Archbishop Salvatore Ligorio of Matera-Irsina,

-
Archbishop Giovanni Ricchiuti of Acerenza,

-
Bishop Francescantonio Nole, O.F.M. Conv., of Tursi-Lagonegro

-
Bishop Gianfranco Todisco, P.O.C.R., of Melfi-Rapolla-Venosa, and

-
Bishop Vincenzo Carmine Orofino of Tricarico.

This
afternoon he is scheduled to receive Cardinal Manuel Monteiro de
Castro, major penitentiary of the Apostolic Penitentiary, accompanied
by Bishop Krzysztof Jozef Nykiel, regent of the Apostolic
Penitentiary.

Vatican
City, 18 January 2013
(VIS) – The Synod of Bishops of the Coptic Catholic Church meeting
in Cairo, Egypt, from 12 – 16 January, having consulted the Holy
Father, accepted the resignation from office presented by His
Beatitude Antonios Naguib, Patriarch of Alexandria of the Copts, in
accordance with canon 126 para. 2 of the Code of Canons of the
Eastern Churches

On
15 January, the same synod canonically elected His Beatitude Ibrahim
Isaac Sidrak as Patriarch of Alexandria of the Copts and the Holy
Father granted the "Ecclesiastica Communio" requested of
him by His Beatitude in accordance with canon 76 para. 2 of the Code
of Canons of the Eastern Churches. Born in 1955 in Beni Shiqeir in
the Eparchy of Asyut, Egypt, ordained to the priesthood in 1980, and
ordained to the episcopate in 2002, the patriarch-elect was
previously bishop of Minya (Ermopoli Maggiore: Minieh, Coptic),
Egypt.

-
appointed Bishop Heiner Koch as bishop of the diocese of
Dresden-Meissen (area 17,000, population 4,271,000, Catholics
139,890, priests 241, permanent deacons 11, religious 208), Germany.
Bishop Koch, titular of Ros Cré, was born in 1954 in Dusseldorf,
Germany, was ordained to the priesthood in 1980, and received
episcopal ordination in 2006. Bishop Koch was previously auxiliary of
Köln (Cologne), Germany.

-
appointed Fr. André Gueye as bishop of the diocese of Thies (area
9,055, population 2,436,000, Catholics 52,641, priests 72, religious
146), Senegal. The bishop-elect was born in 1967 in Thies and was
ordained to the priesthood in 1992. Fr. Gueye previously taught
philosophy at the St. Jean Marie Vianney Major Seminary of Brin in
the diocese of Ziguinchor, Senegal.

-
appointed Msgr. Eamon Martin as coadjutor archbishop of the
metropolitan archdiocese of Armagh (area 2,550, population 333,758,
Catholics 227,120, priests 187, religious 391), Ireland. The
bishop-elect, previously diocesan administrator of the diocese of
Derry since 2010, was born in 1961 in Derry, Ireland, and was
ordained to the priesthood in 1987. Msgr. Martin was appointed
chaplain to His Holiness in 2011.

-
elevated the apostolic exarchate for Ukrainian faithful of the
Byzantine rite resident in Great Britain, to the rank of eparchy with
the title "Holy Family of London". He appointed Bishop Hlib
Borys Sviatoslav Lonchyna, M.S.U., as first bishop of the new
eparchy. Bishop Lonchyna, previously apostolic exarch of Great
Britain (Ukrainian) and titular of Bareta, was born in 1954 in
Steubenville, Ohio, USA, was ordained to the priesthood in 1977, and
received episcopal ordination in 2002.